Days of Record Heat for the Southwest

Another round of hot weather is ahead for the Southwest, beginning this weekend. Cities like Phoenix have already hit 100 degrees this year, but consecutive days of temperatures in this range will make for a dangerous and possible deadly stretch of weather. Record highs will be broken at some locations into next week due to a building ridge of high pressure over the Western US.

On Friday, highs in the desert Southwest will be in the 90s, and some locations will exceed the Century Mark. The southern Central Valley of California will also approach the 90 degree mark while the rest of the valley heats up into the 80s. The remainder of the Southwest US will experience highs in the 70s to low 80s. The higher elevations as well as the immediate Californian coast will struggle to surpass 70 degrees.

San Diego may break a record high on Saturday. The current record is 96 degrees set back in 1953. Our current forecast is 94 degrees, which will come close to the record but will not break it, at least as of now. Much of Southern California and the Central Valley will heat up with maximum temperatures in the 90s up to the triple digits in the desert. Cities like Phoenix and Needles will rise in the low to mid 100s.

On Sunday, an Excessive Heat Watch, which is currently in effect, will likely become a warning for portions of southeastern California and southwestern Arizona, including Yuma and Phoenix. This is to warn the public several days in advance about the widespread record heat forecast. Highs will rise into the mid to upper 100s across the desert Southwest. Record highs will be possible in Needles, Yuma, Phoenix, and Tuscon. Southern California will remain toasty with highs in the 90s but temperatures will not be record-breaking. The remainder of the southwestern US will feels highs in the 70s and 80s, which is 10 to 20 degrees above average. The immediate Pacific coastline will be cooler than average.

The heat will stick around though much of next week with temperatures remaining very consist. The desert Southwest will hover in the 100s with a few locations breaking their daily record high temperature through at least Wednesday. By next weekend, the heat will relax as it moves to the east.

Jackson is Head of Content at WeatherOptics and produces several forecasts and manages all social media platforms. Previously, Jackson forecasted local weather for southwestern Connecticut, founding his website, Jackson's Weather, in the March of 2015. He is currently studying Meteorology and Broadcast Journalism at the University of Miami.